ISU Junior Grand Prix in Japan

The ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating (JGP) was established by the International Skating Union (ISU) in 1997 and consists of a series of seven international figure skating competitions exclusively for junior-level skaters. The locations of the Junior Grand Prix events change every year. While all seven competitions feature the men's, women's, and ice dance events, only four competitions each season feature the pairs event. Skaters earn points based on their results each season, and the top skaters or teams in each discipline are then invited to compete at the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.^[1]

Skaters are eligible to compete on the junior-level circuit if they are at least 13 years old before July 1 of the respective season, but not yet 19 (for single skaters), 21 (for men and women in ice dance and women in pair skating), or 23 (for men in pair skating).^[2] Competitors are chosen by their respective skating federations. The number of entries allotted to each ISU member nation in each discipline is determined by their results at the prior World Junior Figure Skating Championships.^[3]

Jennifer Kirk of the United States, and Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China, the 1999 SBC Cup champions in women's singles and pair skating, respectively

Japan hosted its first Junior Grand Prix competition in Nagano in 1999. Soshi Tanaka of Japan won the men's event, Jennifer Kirk of the United States won the women's event, Zhang Dan and Zhang Hao of China won the pairs event, and Flavia Ottaviani and Massimo Scali won the ice dance event.^[4] The event has been held every few years in different cities: Nagano (2001);^[5] Okaya (2003, 2005);^[6][7] Karuizawa (2010);^[8] Nagakute (2014);^[9] Yokohama (2016);^[10] and Osaka (2023).^[11]

On July 3, 2020, the Japan Skating Federation cancelled its planned event in Yokohama, originally scheduled to be the fourth in the series, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.^[12] The federation also announced on July 13 that it would not assign any skaters to the Junior Grand Prix if the competitions were to proceed as scheduled.^[13] The International Skating Union eventually cancelled all scheduled Junior Grand Prix events for the 2020–21 season, citing increased travel and entry requirements between countries and potentially excessive sanitary and health care costs for those hosting competitions.^[14]

The Japan Skating Federation has hosted the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, the culminating event of the Junior Grand Prix series, four times. The 2009 Junior Grand Prix Final was held in Tokyo. Yuzuru Hanyu and Kanako Murakami, both of Japan, won the men's and women's events, respectively. Sui Wenjing and Han Cong of China won the pairs event, while Ksenia Monko and Kirill Khaliavin won the ice dance event.^[15] The 2013 Junior Grand Prix Final was held in Fukuoka. Jin Boyang of China won the men's event, Maria Sotskova of Russia won the women's event, Yu Xiaoyu and Jin Yang of China won the pairs event, and Anna Yanovskaya and Sergey Mozgov of Russia won the ice dance event.^[16] The 2017 Junior Grand Prix Final was held in Nagoya. Alexei Krasnozhon of the United States won the men's event, Alexandra Trusova of Russia won the women's event, Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya and Harley Windsor of Australia won the pairs event, and Anastasia Skoptsova and Kirill Aleshin of Russia won the ice dance event.^[17] The 2025 Junior Grand Prix Final was held in Nagoya. Seo Min-kyu of South Korea won the men's event, Mao Shimada of Japan won the women's event, Guo Rui and Zhang Yiwen of China won the pairs event, and Hana Maria Aboian and Daniil Veselukhin of the United States won the ice dance event.^[18]